Women from diverse backgrounds deserve equal representation, respect, and the freedom to exercise their rights. Unfortunately, historical and ongoing instances of discrimination against women serve as undeniable evidence of the challenges they have faced.

During the ongoing Women Deliver Conference in Kigali, women rights activists gathered to discuss the current challenges they face, juxtaposing them with the progress the nation has made in achieving gender equality. This was the focus of the ‘HerStory’ initiative.

Rwanda, particularly, a global leader in gender equality, has many women who have throughout history, advocated and organized for women’s rights, yet their stories are not well known.

This, among others, is what inspired the Rwanda Women’s Alliance - an alliance of diverse women in Rwanda who envision an equitable society where women’s rights are recognized and fully enjoyed, to strengthen solidarity between women organizing for their rights in all aspects of society and use it as an asset for collective action.

Launched on July 18, ‘Herstory- Rwandan Women Changemakers’ with 32 profiles in the book honors and celebrates brave and visionary women who have contributed to the ongoing struggle. They include Rwanda’s last Queen, Rosalie Gicanda, politician Aloysie Inyumba, Zula Karuhimbi who saved people during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and feminists such as Sylvie Nsanga, and more.

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Through its operations, the initiative aims to address gender equality issues and create space for solutions to that global challenge. Through its partnership with the Rwanda Women Alliance, the initiative intends to extend its operations to Rwanda to foster the empowerment of women, especially those in the low-income bracket

Juliana Kantengwa, a seasoned lawmaker with over 20 years of experience, kick-started the discussions on a high note. She highlighted the various reforms that have propelled Rwanda towards gender inclusivity, such as the inheritance and land laws that have empowered women to achieve economic success.

"We were always on the microphone trying to explain ourselves as if we had done anything wrong. When we became 48 per cent after using the quota system to empower women, the women were not ready for the responsibilities they were presented with.

"We did what we could and one of the curtain raisers was the inheritance law. Allowing women to become heirs and inherit from their parents and husbands paved the way to success because you can’t succeed if you’re legally not allowed to own property. Sensitising the general public into accepting that it is okay for women to own property really helped push things along,” Kantengwa said.

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Dr Donatilla Kanimba who currently serves as the executive director of Rwanda Union of the Blind shed light on what life as a woman with a disability was like in the past and how development has impacted it today.

"Having a disability was always equated to being a charity case. You couldn’t make demands or claims, only accept what you’re given. People with disabilities are made to feel like they’re not enough and that is damaging.

"I found it embarrassing to have to explain my blindness and I noticed that families want disabled children to stay out of sight. Women with disabilities have been known to elope rather than conduct wedding celebrations.

"Sign Language is being taught and learnt in schools but it still has its limits in the sense that there is reading and writing, but no calculating and math, which is very limiting. Rwandan sign language is in the works and that is hopeful,” Kanimba said.

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Fintech entrepreneur Aline Berabose added a young feminist’s perspective to the discussion, highlighting how being born into the reforms broadened horizons in terms of what to expect from one’s community and the sense of belonging and worthiness that has come with living in a day and age where feminism is valued.

"I am lucky to have been born in a time when reforms were out in action. Feminism is important for women’s rights because it challenges the power structures that enable us to get what we deserve, and it is important that we understand the intersections. One of the inclusivity policies that have made a large impact is the tax exemptions on pads,” Berabose said.